Of Fire and Ice
by Skwiziks
Summary: Ruki's search for a soulmate winds up leading her to the most unusual of places, and she finds her search was over before it even begun


Of Fire and Ice  
  
-By Blinkin Category: Romance/Angst Rating: PG-13 for a fight scene, minor violence, minor language, minor sexual references and minor sexual activities. (This is not a lemon or lime though. Sorry fellow testosterone pumped males, maybe next time.) Couple: Rukato ----------------------------------------------------------- Legend: ""Text""=Thoughts "Normal"=Speech **Text**=Major skip in time ----------------------------------------------------------- **~IMPORTANT~** Author's Intro Note **~IMPORTANT~**: In this story, I'll be trying to get into Ruki and Takato's heads a little. They are very interesting characters and ones I can relate with in some sense, although I was more like Takato when I was 10, my emotions uncontrolled. And then I ended up like Ruki for a year or two, reserved, trying to get too much of a handle on my emotions and also trying to avoid people but I was never cold. I've gotten better, don't you worry, although now I feel like a million different people in one body. Oh yes please review this; I'd like your feedback. Flames accepted as long as they are constructive. I may have ideas for original stories but I have no other digimon ideas but like 4 Rukato multi-chapter song fics.any recommendations? There is a chance that if you ask I may do anything except Daikari, Leeki and Jurato because they're e-vile. And I don't do Yaoi just because it's not my style. But I could do Yuri if you really wanted me to. And I'm looking for a good excuse to do a Lemon. Ok on with the disclaimer. ----------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer: Blinkin- (clears throat) I'M BACK! The reason I was gone well is that.I got MAJOR WRITER'S BLOCK. So now I'm back with new ideas and new motivation!!! (Listens to cheers of few remaining loyal fans.) Unless that was my applause machine. Takeru- Wow he's back. Kari- I know.it feels so strange Davis- See I told you he's pathetic! Blinkin- I thought I got rid of you in upstate NY! Well I guess I'll just finish the job. (Shoots Davis) Davis- (Dies) Takeru- Why'd you do that? Blinkin- Because I want to see you and Kari together Kari- But we already are. Remember your last fic? Blinkin- Well then it was for the good of humanity! Takeru- I'll vouch for that. Kari- Yeah me too! Blinkin-Ok then it's settled. You two go dump the body while I finish the disclaimer. Ok then.I don't own digimon.so there! Oh and 20 points to anyone who can name the song and band it was done by that I don't own that Takato sings for a sentence, and an extra 20 points if you can name the album that I don't own it came off of, also another extra 20 points if you can name the singer of the band, that is all. (Runs off to go hide the body with Kari and Takeru) ----------------------------------------------------------- "Life shall be your gift and love your freedom. Seek these both with zeal, they are your kingdom."  
  
-Blinkin A.K.A. Zen Master -----------------------------------------------------------"Another bad day." Ruki said to herself as she sighed.  
  
"It's always a bad day with my mom around."  
  
See Ruki and her mom were on worse terms than usual because Ruki's mom had been nagging to her about being tomboyish more than usual. In a fit of rage Ruki grabbed her jacket, left the house and told Renamon she needed to be alone to calm her nerves. She also mentioned not to follow her in the shadows because she could sense if Renamon was nearby.  
  
Her mind was a swirling mix of thoughts as she walked through the city.  
  
""Damn it why does my mom always have to be so pushy about me and the clothes I wear! What I would give to have a mother who worried more about me not taking drugs or getting good grades in school! Then at least I wouldn't have to put up with all of her crap! Argh! Why is she so damn superficial!""  
  
Ruki was very angry. Angry mostly with her mom but also angry at the world. The world was inhabited by idiots. Superficial idiots who felt that fashion and the newest gossip were all that mattered. She alone knew the importance of self and the power of emotions. She stood alone among many.  
  
""Then why am I so sad? Is it because I'm lonely?"" She paused for a moment thinking about her statement. ""It doesn't matter! I don't need anybody!"" She paused again taking in what she had thought. ""Maybe you do need them Ruki, I mean you are only human.""  
  
A new idea then came to her. ""But what if I could give up everything I've learned and experienced in order to feel like I'm a part of the rest of humanity? No. I wouldn't do that. I couldn't do that. It would be like giving up my knowledge so I could go back to being a toddler, blissfully ignorant. I'd rather know what I know then give it all up to live in bliss. I'll be stronger that way.""  
  
""But why do I have to be alone. Though I may be strong willed, the world wears you down when you have no one to call a real friend. Who out in this wide yet small world knows even a bit of what I know, feels even a bit of what I feel?"" She stopped walking and stood up straight. A revelation had come to her. ""To think, all this time I've been unconsciously looking for someone to bond with, someone I can call friend and mean it. But my attitude has kept me from finding that friend."" She smiled. ""My layer of ice is simply a test. Only the strong and truly determined could ever burn down this wall. And although it may seem a hindrance now, I know when the one comes and removes my covering; I'll truly find what I call a friend. Only those like me in spirit could ever break it down.""  
  
""But what about the ones I already know? Are they worthy?" She placed her hand on her chin and thought. "No, they are all ignorant to my situation. Takato, Jeri, Henry, none of them know how I feel.""  
  
She sighed as a new question formed in her head. ""Will I ever find my soul mate? I hope I do. Although with me spending so much time so far I have to wonder if we'll ever meet.""  
  
It was getting late and she knew she needed to take a few shortcuts to get home in time for her grandma to believe her that she went out suddenly only to calm her nerves. She turned right into a wide alley hoping to cut some time off her way back. As she was walking she felt a blow to the back of her head. She reeled and turned around trying to get a look at her attacker. He was at least a foot taller than her and she couldn't see his face because of his hood and the fact that it was dark out anyway. He carried no weapon.  
  
""Hmmm.I may stand a fighting chance.maybe.""  
  
She took up a fighting stance and tried to concentrate through the insane headache she was experiencing. Her attacker came at her rather quickly and threw a right hook. She ducked to dodge it and came back with an uppercut followed by a straight punch to his gut. The uppercut worked and threw him off balance so she could hit his stomach but he was one of those muscle dudes and her punch did nothing to his well-worked abdomen.  
  
He laughed for a second and then turned to her and spoke. "Feisty aren't you little girl. This will make it just that more fun." Ruki gave him another punch this time aimed at his groin. He swatted her hand before it reached its destination.  
  
The two fighters both backed off and Ruki took up a fighting stance. Her attacker threw a right hook aimed at her head. Ruki countered it by diving under the punch and tackling him to the ground. Her assailant was unprepared and got the wind knocked out of him as he went flying into the concrete. Ruki quickly got up and backed away, again going into her fighting stance. Her assailant, angered, charged. ""Wrong move bucko."" She thought to herself as she threw him to the ground using his front arm as the medium to do so. He rolled a little and his head was now facing away from her. Ruki, figuring he was down for the count dropped her guard. A moment later the downed attacker kicked out at Ruki, hitting her hard in the stomach. Ruki fell to her knees in pain. Her foe stood up and faced her. Ruki could just imagine the ugly grin on his face and she suddenly felt afraid, realizing how helpless she was now. She heard a sound behind her and wondered what it was, momentarily distracted from her fears. She got her answer when the man standing above her fell to the ground as a rock hit his head. Ruki stood up and brushed herself off.  
  
Ruki turned around to find a person who was seemingly male and about her age. "You need any help?" He asked. "No, I'm fine, now leave me alone." She replied as she walked off through the rest of the alley. "Wait!" The mysterious boy said. Ruki turned. "What is it?" She replied sounding annoyed. "Are you headed home?" He asked. "Yes, why do you care?" She said, again sounding annoyed. "Well I care because I don't like to see girls my age getting attacked and I'm gonna follow you home so you have someone else to help you if the same guy comes after you again."  
  
Ruki thought for a moment. He's right; she could need the help if he came after her again. ""Oh but why did he have to be right! I just wanted to be alone."" She thought about it another moment and came up with a conclusion. "Ok fine, I'll let you follow me. But don't try anything!" ""I think this headache is working numbers on my judgment. Ah damn it all!""  
  
It took them another ten minutes to get back to her home. As they approached Renamon appeared from the trees. "Ruki, you're back." Renamon sniffed the air. "And I see you brought Takato with you."  
  
Ruki turned to face the boy she had met in the dark alley. "Takato?" She asked him. "Hey Ruki." Takato replied. Ruki was shocked. She just stared at him blankly for a few moments and then regained her composure although she was still a bit dazed from the shock and the headache. "I guess I'll see you later gogglehead." "Bye." Takato said in reply. He continued to stay there and watch Ruki and Renamon head inside. He was a bit baffled. ""That was one hell of a strange night. I think I actually confused Ruki. I hope she doesn't kill me."" Takato walked home, trying to think of an excuse to tell his parents, or if that failing, a way to sneak into his room.  
  
Ruki walked into her room and slid the door shut. She undressed and got into her bed. She thought rapidly, the left over adrenaline giving her a feeling of overdrive. ""That was one strange night. It sounded to me that gogglehead knew it was me when he saved me and not just some random girl. I wonder if he cares for me. He was the first boy to ever not just care or be concerned but actually do something about her situation. He actually helped me. Maybe I'm not alone after all. I'm so confused!"" She paused for a moment. ""And I hate being confused!!!""  
  
Elsewhere Takato was just reaching his house. He would have to sneak in through the front door, and he would have to do it ninja style. He walked up to his door and put his key into the lock. He turned it, slowly, strenuously trying to avoid making a noise. The door unlocked with what seemed to Takato an ear-shattering click. He turned the doorknob slowly and then opened the door slowly, thanking the powers that be for him greasing the hinges yesterday. He slinked across the room and up the stairs, making only one creaking sound that he hoped his parents would consider merely the house settling. He got to the top of the stairs turned left and creeped into his room. He walked over to his bed and sat on it. He inhaled and exhaled trying to relax, his blood pumping from his latest stealth exercise. Thoughts arrived to him like butterflies, many a size and color, most of them taking the form of Ruki.  
  
""Ruki. The Ice Princess. I wonder what she's like through that layer of coldness. Maybe she's like the rest of us, warm and kind hearted. But still I wonder why she always has to control herself so much. She should loosen up, chill. Wait. This is Ruki we're talking about; I think I'd rather have her fiery. Considering that she's already the Ice Princess.""  
  
Takato sighed. ""But what about me here? I seem to be the complete opposite. I lack the ability to control my emotions. I mean what'll happen to the rest of the tamers if I should become terrified and run away. Or on the other hand what If I was to become overly confident and charge into battle recklessly, only to get hurt, or worse, killed. Oh boy do I need help.""  
  
Just as suddenly as his melancholy had come it left and he grinned widely. ""But oh boy is Ruki hot!""  
  
**Next Day**  
  
""Gotta go! Gotta go!"" Ruki thought to her self as she was changing into her normal clothes at a seemingly unnatural pace. ""Can't be late! Gotta get to the den before Takato does!"" Ruki was in a craze so she could get to Guillomon's den to meet Takato. She needed to talk to that boy.  
  
Ruki ran out of her house and checked her watch. When she saw what time it was she picked up her pace to a near dead on sprint. She got into the park and looked around to see if Takato was leaving or coming in. ""Damn it where is he!?!"" She picked up her pace even more thinking she had a minute window of time to catch him. After about a minute spied Guillomon's den. She slowed her pace to a walk and walked inside the den. When she got there she scowled. ""All that running and now he's not here! Ah damn it all!!!""  
  
She turned around and walked out, only to find Takato coming down the road to the den. Takato looked up and a sudden look of surprise came over his face as he dropped the day-old bread he was carrying. "Hey Ruki. Why are you here?" Takato said trying to sound friendly through his obvious nervousness. ""This is new. She's never here unless it's a tamers meeting."" Ruki stood up straight and walked toward Takato and said "Follow me." As she passed by him.  
  
Takato not wanting to be the victim of Ruki's fury followed her. He wound up in small clearing surrounded by trees and assorted bushes. "Sit." She commanded him, and Takato sat. Ruki then sat as well. Takato looked questioningly at her. Ruki sighed and then spoke gently. "I just wanted to talk Takato." Takato drew back in mild surprise. "This is new for you. Well Ruki, shoot."  
  
Ruki took a deep breath then looked up at him. "The first thing." She said. "Thank you for helping me in the alley, I'll admit I was done for back there till you came along." Takato chuckled. "What's so funny?" Ruki said sounding angry. Takato smiled.  
  
"It's funny because this is the first time you've swallowed your pride and admitted you were screwed." Ruki scowled at him. "Well I would have had him if his abs weren't so strong." Takato smiled even wider. "Sure Ruki, I believe you." Ruki then punched him in the arm. "OW!" Ruki gave him one of her infamous death-glares. "Ok ok! I'll stop."  
  
"Anything else you wanted to talk about Ruki?" Ruki's expression changed back to neutral. "Yeah, there's one more thing I want to know. Why did you help me back there?" Takato's expression became dim once he heard the question.  
  
His voice was soft and gloomy. "I did it," he paused "I did it because I couldn't not do it." Ruki looked confused. "What do you mean?" Takato sighed. "I did it because my emotions got the better of me. I saw you in trouble and I got angry, I couldn't stop myself, I tried to stop so that I could make a plan, but I still couldn't." He sighed again at similar instances in his past.  
  
Ruki's head picked up in curiosity and mild surprise. ""Hey that's kind of like me!"" She spoke to him. "Makes you feel strangely different doesn't it?" Takato's eyes widened. "Yeah it does, I've just never seen it like that before, almost like I'm on my own." He spoke as if he was in a dream.  
  
Ruki smiled. ""Maybe I'm not alone after all."" The beep on her watch reminded her of the time. She looked at it and her eyes bulged. "Damn! Sorry Takato but I gotta go or I'll be late for dinner. Bye!" Takato looked as she went eyes blinking rapidly. ""That was sudden.""  
  
**Later that night, 9 PM**  
  
Ruki got into bed and pulled her blanket over her body. Her lavender eyes drifted towards the moonlight coming through her window. ""Irony works in mysterious ways."" Ruki for once felt unworried and contemplative at the same time. ""How ironic that my search for a soul mate had ended a long time ago, I just hadn't realized it. Takato's like me, just the opposite, a lack of control. I think I like that boy."" She laughed at the next thought that came into her head. ""And he's just so sexy!"" She yawned and fell asleep wearing a spanking new smile.  
  
"You've got to bleed a little while you sing, lest the words don't mean nothing." Takato was singing to himself as he listened to some CD's a cousin in London had sent him. After a while, the music stopped and he turned it off along with the lights in his room. He got into bed and relaxed. He smiled, thoughts coming to his head. ""Ruki, there's a lot more to her than just a block of ice. She was so different today, more open and unrestricted. I think I might just like her."" He sighed contentedly and fell asleep.  
  
**Next morning, Saturday**  
  
""Here we go again."" Takato thought with a hint of disdain in the words. He was traveling to Ruki's house for another stealth exercise he now dubbed, Operation Drop and Run. The note he was going to drop off at her window bulged slightly in his pant pocket as he approached the walls of her house. He looked up as the walls loomed above him. "Where's my grappling hook and rope when I need it?" As soon as he was done saying that Renamon appeared out of nowhere on top of the wall. "Hello Takato." Takato sweat dropped and began rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "Hey Renamon."  
  
Renamon kept her rigidly relaxed pose as she spoke again. "Can I help you with anything?" Takato relaxed a little and pulled out the note in his pocket. "Could you give this to Ruki?" Renamon jumped down and snatched the note out of his hand. She examined it, nodded and disappeared back over the wall. Takato turned around and started walking.  
  
Ruki awoke to the delicate rays of sunshine sweeping across her face. She rolled over to check the time and saw a note by her clock with her name on it. Intrigued she grabbed the note and opened it. It read:  
  
"Meet me at the clearing in the park where we were yesterday.  
  
-Takato"  
  
Ruki now extremely curious what would be so important to somehow secretly get a note into her room for her to go to the park. Ruki quickly got some warm clothes on and headed out for the park leaving a note for her grandma incase she got worried.  
  
Takato sat restlessly in the clearing waiting for Ruki to arrive. It was now 7:30 in the morning and he was worried she may never come. As if on cue Takato heard rustling in the bushes to his left and Ruki came into view as he turned his head to face the sound. Ruki sat down facing him. "So Takato, why'd you want to see me?" Takato relaxed some now that Ruki arrived. "I just wanted to talk in a nice, private place, and this was the best idea that came to me."  
  
"Well then, what did you want to talk about?" Ruki asked. Takato took a deep breath and then spoke. "Ruki, how do you feel about yourself?" Ruki became somewhat stunned at the question. She stayed still for a minute thinking out all the intricacies of the question. "Well Takato, the one thing I've had a lot more experience with than most people is the in and outs of emotions. All this knowledge has put me on another level than other people, leaving me feeling alone even when I don't want to be. And another thing I don't get it why I don't act like myself when I'm around you!"  
  
Takato laughed. "Well that I don't have an answer for yet. But I feel the same way on the other part. I too feel alone because of my experience with emotions. I think though, that unlike you, I can't control mine." Ruki breathed deep. "And unlike you, I control mine too much."  
  
"I've been to afraid." Ruki said, and Takato responded. "I've been to weak."  
  
The kids sat in deep thought about the conversation they had just had. Takato perked up as a new thought came to him. "Hey Ruki! I know! We can help each other! I mean look, you're already acting open around me for some reason and you can help me become stronger somehow too!" Ruki looked up at him and smiled. "When did you become a genius Takato?" Takato laughed. "Didn't you know Ruki? I've always been a genius." Ruki chuckled in response.  
  
They sat in silence, smiling and reflecting over their new agreement. Takato being in a curious mood grabbed Ruki's ponytail holder. Ruki noticed and snapped her head toward Takato, anger seething across her face. Takato ran in fear and Ruki chased after him yelling, "Give it back you bastard!"  
  
Takato continued running as fast as he could, Ruki gaining on him with each passing second. Takato cursed himself realizing that Ruki had much more skill in running through the forest than him. Takato looked right and saw a clearing. In desperation, he ran towards it and broke out onto flat ground. His confidence dropped as he found himself trapped in the inside corner of a small L-shaped lake. Ruki came bursting through the trees, breathing hard with anger.  
  
Takato looked at her and began laughing uncontrollably, almost falling on his back. Ruki stopped her pursuit in utter surprise. "What's so funny goggle boy?" Takato spoke as best he could through his laughter. "You just look so funny when you're angry and your hair's down." Ruki took a few steps forward but began laughing herself when she caught her reflection in the clear blue water.  
  
After a few minutes when their laughter died down, Takato handed Ruki back her ponytail holder and she put her hair back into its trademark style. They both stood up straight and turned to face each other. Takato smiled and said, "You know Ruki, you've got a nice butt." Ruki moved forward and grabbed Takato's butt. She smiled and spoke, "The feeling's mutual." Takato then grabbed Ruki's butt.  
  
Ruki got angry and moved closer in a fighting stance. "Just returning the favor." Takato said as he put his hands up for protection. Ruki smiled. "You've got a great smile too Ruki."  
  
Ruki laughed and stared at Takato. The moment caught them in its grasp and they both leaned for a kiss.  
  
Unfortunately they accidentally bumped into each other's noses. They both backed away and stared at each other. They suddenly broke out laughing at their miserably failed first kiss. Both smiling, they walked out of the park hand in hand, their destinies now forever intertwined.  
  
-End ----------------------------------------------------------- Hmm.maybe some of you super intelligent writers can give me some tips on how to improve my writing? Please? You'll see more of me later.I'll make sure of it.  
  
-Blinkin 


End file.
